Linotype-machine.



No. 787,786. "PATENTED APRs, 1905. s. c. NIBLSEN. LINOTYPE MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILBD NOV. 30. 1 90 1.

^ 2 SHEETB-SHEET 1.

Wyl l v W? 'V IFLKQWW/ r YyO W/V y A l I No'. 787,786. PATENTED APR.18, 19O5A. s. 0. NIELSEN.

LINOTYPE MAGHINE.

APPLICATION PILED NOV. 30. 1904.

2 SHEETS-BHEET 2.

4 Patented April 18, 1905.

- 'UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SIGURD C. NIELSEN, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO MERGEN- THALER LINOTYPE COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

LINOTYPE-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming` part of Letters Patent No. '787,786, dated April 18, 1905.

Application filed November 30,1904. Serial No. 234,939.

To all whom it nrty concern.-

Be it known that I, SIGURD C. NIELSEN, of Brooklyn, county of Kings, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Linotype-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a supplemental or auxiliary keyboard, designed to be placed temporarily over the keyboard of a linotype or kindred machine, so that the depression of a key in the supplemental board will have the efi'ect of depressing and operating an ordinary key thereunder, thus permitting at will any desired change in the arrangement or location of the Characters represented withoutchanging the buttons on the permanent board.

ln the use of linotype-machines it is a common practice to substitute for one font or set of matrices another font containing a difl erent assortment of Characters or characters differently located, so that a corresponding change 'in the location must appear in the keyboard.

By the employment of a series of inter-.

by l am enabled to secure extreme simplicity r and low cost.

Referring to the drawings,'Figure 1 represents a perspective view of my im proved board adapted for application to the linotype-nachine. Fig. 2 is a cross-section of the board in position over an ordinary linotype-keyboard. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a portion of the keyboard with parts broken away to disclose the construction. A Referring to the drawings, A represents my improved board, containing a'series of finger keys a, arranged to play vertically therethrough, so that when the board is. laid over the ordinary keyboard of a linotype-machine,

as shown in Fig. 2, its keys a will rest upon 5 and serve to depress the ordinary keys B, forming permanent parts of the machine.

p ln the construction of my keyboard I provide a fiat top plate a' and form therein, by punching or otherwise, a series of parallel slots a Into each of these slots I insert Vertically one of the finger-keys a of the form shown. The finger-key consists of a fiat plate, punched or' otherwise formed from sheet metal, having in one end a transverse notch a and at. the opposite end a surface f, described from the bottom of the notch as a center, and also a depending portion a. The key-arm is inserted into one of the slots from below, and its notched end is seated astride of 5 the top plate,as shown,so as to form a pivotal or rocking connection therewith, while the opposite end a* is carried upward through the slot, which p'events it from moving endwise in such manner as to disengage at the opposite end. 7 The key is free to swing upward and downward around the bottom of the notch (0 as a center. The upward motion of the key is limited by a shoulder a formed thereon to encounter the under side of the top plate.

The downward movement of the key is prevented and its position within the slot and its engagement with the upper plate maintained by a slotted bottom plate C, underlying all of the keys and secured to the upper plate by intermediate spacing-blocks D and connecting-screws E or any equivalent connections. The free ends a of the key-arms extend downward through the bottom plate in position to bear upon the keys of the under or main key- 5 board, as before indicated. The key-arms are very light and are provided at their free ends with the ordinary buttons or keys bearing the letters or Characters, as usual.

The keyboard is provided at the front end 9 with notched plates F and at the opposite end with legs G, these parts serving to support the keyboard firmly in operative position when seated over the main keyboard When my keyboard is applied to the machine, the free ends (6 of the key-arms rest upon the under keys and are sustained thereby.

In operating the machine the keys of my I believe myself to be the first to construct a board wherein the finger-keys or arms are seated in slots and adapted to swing vertically and the first to construct a board wherein the finger-keys are notched to engage in one plate and held in operative position by another plate.

The other advantages of my construction are the extreme simplicity, cheapness, and strength of the parts and the fact that the keys may be made of such extreme lightness that they may be operated without the employment of lifting-springs and without appreciably changing the touch in operating the keyboard.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim is- 1. The keyboard consisting essentially of two parallel slotted plates and the intermediate key-levers, each guided in both plates and seated for pivotal motion in one plate, substantially as described.

2. In a key board for a linotype or analogous i notched at one end to embrace the plate and having the opposite end formed to prevent longitudinal movement.

5. In a keyboard for a linotype or analogous machine, a slotted top plate and a slotted bottom plate fixed in relation thereto, in combination with the notched key-arms extending through both plates and seated at the notched end astride of one plate.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand, this 23d day of November, 1904, in the presence of two attesting witnesses.

SIGURD C. NIELSEN. l/Vitnesses:

l/V. H. RANDALL, L. B. MoREHoUsE. 

